Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ feeding ground.
Tena kho pana samayena aciravato samaṇuddeso araññakuṭikāyaṁ viharati. Atha kho jayaseno rājakumāro jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno anuvicaramāno yena aciravato samaṇuddeso tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā aciravatena samaṇuddesena saddhiṁ sammodi.
At that time, the novice Aciravata was dwelling in a small hut in the forest. Then |Prince Jayasena::name of a prince; lit. victorious army. MA identifies Prince Jayasena as a son of King Bimbisāra [jayasena]|, while walking and wandering for exercise, went to where novice Aciravata was. Having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the novice Aciravata.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jayaseno rājakumāro aciravataṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavoca: “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bho aggivessana: ‘idha bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan’”ti.
After having engaged in courteous and polite conversation, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Prince Jayasena said to the novice Aciravata: “I have heard it said, sir |Aggivessana::A brahmin clan name signifying descent from the ancient lineage of fire-worshippers. In ancient India, addressing someone by their clan name was a customary mark of respect. [aggivessana]|: ‘A bhikkhu who abides here |diligent::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|, |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|, and |determined::resolute, applying oneself [pahitatta]| can achieve |unification of mind::one-pointedness, concentration, oneness of mind [ekaggatā]|.’”
“Evametaṁ, rājakumāra, evametaṁ, rājakumāra. Idha bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan”ti.
“That is so, prince, that is so. A bhikkhu who abides here diligent, with continuous effort, and determined can achieve unification of mind.”
“Sādhu me bhavaṁ aggivessano yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ desetū”ti.
“It would be good if sir Aggivessana would teach me the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| as he has learned it and mastered it.”
“Na kho te ahaṁ, rājakumāra, sakkomi yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ desetuṁ. Ahañca hi te, rājakumāra, yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, tvañca me bhāsitassa atthaṁ na ājāneyyāsi; so mamassa kilamatho, sā mamassa vihesā”ti.
“I cannot teach you the Dhamma as I have learned it and mastered it, prince. For if I were to teach you the Dhamma as I have learned it and mastered it, you would not understand the meaning of my words, and that would lead to |weariness::fatigue, tiredness [kilamatha]| and |vexation::affliction, irritation [vighāta]| for me.”
“Desetu me bhavaṁ aggivessano yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ. Appevanāmāhaṁ bhoto aggivessanassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyan”ti.
“Let sir Aggivessana teach me the Dhamma as he has learned it and mastered it. Perhaps I can understand the meaning of his words.”
“Deseyyaṁ kho te ahaṁ, rājakumāra, yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ. Sace me tvaṁ bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyāsi, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ; no ce me tvaṁ bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyāsi, yathāsake tiṭṭheyyāsi, na maṁ tattha uttariṁ paṭipuccheyyāsī”ti.
“I shall teach you the Dhamma, prince, as I have learned it and mastered it. If you can understand the meaning of my words, that will be good. But if you were to not understand them, then you should leave it at that and not question me further about it.”
“Desetu me bhavaṁ aggivessano yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ. Sace ahaṁ bhoto aggivessanassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmi, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ; no ce ahaṁ bhoto aggivessanassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmi, yathāsake tiṭṭhissāmi, nāhaṁ tattha bhavantaṁ aggivessanaṁ uttariṁ paṭipucchissāmī”ti.
“Let sir Aggivessana teach me the Dhamma as he has learned it and mastered it. If I can understand the meaning of his words, that will be good. If I do not understand the meaning, I will leave it at that and I will not question him further about it.”
Atha kho aciravato samaṇuddeso jayasenassa rājakumārassa yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ desesi. Evaṁ vutte, jayaseno rājakumāro aciravataṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavoca: “aṭṭhānametaṁ, bho aggivessana, anavakāso yaṁ bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan”ti. Atha kho jayaseno rājakumāro aciravatassa samaṇuddesassa aṭṭhānatañca anavakāsatañca pavedetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.
Then the novice Aciravata taught Prince Jayasena the Dhamma as he had heard it and mastered it. After he had spoken, Prince Jayasena remarked: “It is impossible, sir Aggivessana, it cannot happen that a bhikkhu who abides diligent, with continuous effort, and determined can achieve unification of mind.” Then, having declared to the novice Aciravata that this was impossible and could not happen, Prince Jayasena rose from his seat and departed.
Atha kho aciravato samaṇuddeso acirapakkante jayasene rājakumāre yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho aciravato samaṇuddeso yāvatako ahosi jayasenena rājakumārena saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.
Soon after Prince Jayasena had left, the novice Aciravata went to the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the novice Aciravata reported in full to the Blessed One the entire conversation that had taken place with Prince Jayasena.
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā aciravataṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavoca:
When he had finished, the Blessed One said to the novice Aciravata:
“‘taṁ kutettha, aggivessana, labbhā. Yaṁ taṁ nekkhammena ñātabbaṁ nekkhammena daṭṭhabbaṁ nekkhammena pattabbaṁ nekkhammena sacchikātabbaṁ taṁ vata jayaseno rājakumāro kāmamajjhe vasanto kāme paribhuñjanto kāmavitakkehi khajjamāno kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhamāno kāmapariyesanāya ussuko ñassati vā dakkhati vā sacchi vā karissatī’ti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
“‘Aggivessana, how could it be possible that Prince Jayasena, living in the midst of sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, being devoured by thoughts of sensual pleasures, being consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, |restlessly obsessed with::anxiously striving for, zealously desiring, ambitious about [ussuka]| the pursuit of sensual pleasures, could know, see, or realize that which must be known through |renunciation::going out state, rejection of sensual pleasure [nekkhamma]|, seen through renunciation, attained through renunciation, and personally experienced through renunciation?’ That is not possible.
Seyyathāpissu, aggivessana, dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā, dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā adantā avinītā. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, aggivessana, ye te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā, api nu te dantāva dantakāraṇaṁ gaccheyyuṁ, dantāva dantabhūmiṁ sampāpuṇeyyun”ti?
Suppose, Aggivessana, there were two tamable elephants, horses, or oxen that were well tamed and well trained, and two tamable elephants, horses, or oxen that were untamed and untrained. What do you think, Aggivessana? Would not those two tameable elephants, horses, or oxen that were well tamed and well trained, being tamed, be fit for the work of the tamed? Would they not, being tamed, reach the |ground of mastery::level of mastery, epithet of an Arahant [dantabhūmi]|?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Ye pana te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā adantā avinītā, api nu te adantāva dantakāraṇaṁ gaccheyyuṁ, adantāva dantabhūmiṁ sampāpuṇeyyuṁ, seyyathāpi te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā”ti?
“But would the two tamable elephants, horses, or oxen that were untamed and untrained, being untamed, be fit for the work of the tamed? Would they, being untamed, reach the ground of mastery, just like those two that were well tamed and well trained?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Evameva kho, aggivessana, ‘yaṁ taṁ nekkhammena ñātabbaṁ nekkhammena daṭṭhabbaṁ nekkhammena pattabbaṁ nekkhammena sacchikātabbaṁ taṁ vata jayaseno rājakumāro kāmamajjhe vasanto kāme paribhuñjanto kāmavitakkehi khajjamāno kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhamāno kāmapariyesanāya ussuko ñassati vā dakkhati vā sacchi vā karissatī’ti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
“So too, Aggivessana, it is impossible that Prince Jayasena, living in the midst of sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, being devoured by thoughts of sensual pleasures, being consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, restlessly obsessed with the pursuit of sensual pleasures, could know, see, or realize that which must be known through renunciation, seen through renunciation, attained through renunciation, and personally experienced through renunciation. That is not possible.
Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahāpabbato. Tamenaṁ dve sahāyakā tamhā gāmā vā nigamā vā nikkhamitvā hatthavilaṅghakena yena so pabbato tenupasaṅkameyyuṁ; upasaṅkamitvā eko sahāyako heṭṭhā pabbatapāde tiṭṭheyya, eko sahāyako uparipabbataṁ āroheyya. Tamenaṁ heṭṭhā pabbatapāde ṭhito sahāyako uparipabbate ṭhitaṁ sahāyakaṁ evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yaṁ, samma, kiṁ tvaṁ passasi uparipabbate ṭhito’ti? So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘passāmi kho ahaṁ, samma, uparipabbate ṭhito ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.
Suppose, Aggivessana, there were a great mountain not far from a village or town, and two friends would leave that village or town and approach the mountain hand in hand. Having reached it, one friend would remain below at the foot of the mountain while the other would climb up to the mountain peak. Then the friend who remained below at the foot of the mountain said to his friend who climbed up to the mountain peak: ‘Well, friend, what do you see from the mountain peak?’ And the one on the mountain peak replied: ‘Friend, from here, I can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.’
So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, samma, anavakāso yaṁ tvaṁ uparipabbate ṭhito passeyyāsi ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti. Tamenaṁ uparipabbate ṭhito sahāyako heṭṭhimapabbatapādaṁ orohitvā taṁ sahāyakaṁ bāhāyaṁ gahetvā uparipabbataṁ āropetvā muhuttaṁ assāsetvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yaṁ, samma, kiṁ tvaṁ passasi uparipabbate ṭhito’ti? So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘passāmi kho ahaṁ, samma, uparipabbate ṭhito ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.
Then the friend at the foot of the mountain would say: ‘Friend, that is impossible, it cannot be, that from the mountain peak you can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.’ Then the one on the mountain peak would come down to the foot of the mountain, take his friend by the arm, and make him climb to the top of the mountain. After giving him a few moments to catch his breath, he would ask: ‘Well, friend, what do you see now from the mountain peak?’ Then the other would reply: ‘Indeed, friend, now that I am on the mountain peak, I too can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.’
So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘idāneva kho te, samma, bhāsitaṁ—mayaṁ evaṁ ājānāma—aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ samma, anavakāso yaṁ tvaṁ uparipabbate ṭhito passeyyāsi ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti. Idāneva ca pana te bhāsitaṁ mayaṁ evaṁ ājānāma: ‘passāmi kho ahaṁ, samma, uparipabbate ṭhito ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘tathā hi panāhaṁ, samma, iminā mahatā pabbatena āvuto daṭṭheyyaṁ nāddasan’ti.
Then the other would say: ‘Friend, just a little earlier we heard you say: “It is impossible, it cannot be, that from the mountain peak you can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.” But just now we heard you say: “Now that I am on the mountain peak, I too can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.” Then the first friend would reply: ‘Friend, it was because I was |obstructed by::hindered by [āvuta]| this great mountain that I could not see what was there to be seen.’
Ato mahantatarena, aggivessana, ‘avijjākhandhena jayaseno rājakumāro āvuto nivuto ophuṭo pariyonaddho. So vata yaṁ taṁ nekkhammena ñātabbaṁ nekkhammena daṭṭhabbaṁ nekkhammena pattabbaṁ nekkhammena sacchikātabbaṁ taṁ vata jayaseno rājakumāro kāmamajjhe vasanto kāme paribhuñjanto kāmavitakkehi khajjamāno kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhamāno kāmapariyesanāya ussuko ñassati vā dakkhati vā sacchi vā karissatī’ti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Sace kho taṁ, aggivessana, jayasenassa rājakumārassa imā dve upamā paṭibhāyeyyuṁ, anacchariyaṁ te jayaseno rājakumāro pasīdeyya, pasanno ca te pasannākāraṁ kareyyā”ti.
So too, Aggivessana, Prince Jayasena is obstructed, hindered, engulfed, and encircled by a |mass of ignorance::lit. mountain of not knowing [avijjākhandha]| far greater than this. Thus it is impossible that Prince Jayasena, living in the midst of sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, being devoured by thoughts of sensual pleasures, being consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, restlessly obsessed with the pursuit of sensual pleasures, could know, see, or realize that which must be known through renunciation, seen through renunciation, attained through renunciation, and personally experienced through renunciation. That is not possible. If these two similes had occurred to you, Aggivessana, Prince Jayasena would have spontaneously acquired confidence in you, and being confident, would have |shown his confidence::displayed his faith [pasannākāra]| to you.”
“Kuto pana maṁ, bhante, jayasenassa rājakumārassa imā dve upamā paṭibhāyissanti anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā, seyyathāpi bhagavantan”ti?
“Venerable sir, how could these two similes have occurred to me with regard to Prince Jayasena as they occur to the Blessed One, since they are spontaneous and have never been heard before?”
“Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto nāgavanikaṁ āmanteti: ‘ehi tvaṁ, samma nāgavanika, rañño nāgaṁ abhiruhitvā nāgavanaṁ pavisitvā āraññakaṁ nāgaṁ atipassitvā rañño nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhāhī’ti. ‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, aggivessana, nāgavaniko rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa paṭissutvā rañño nāgaṁ abhiruhitvā nāgavanaṁ pavisitvā āraññakaṁ nāgaṁ atipassitvā rañño nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhati. Tamenaṁ rañño nāgo abbhokāsaṁ nīharati. Ettāvatā kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo abbhokāsaṁ gato hoti. Etthagedhā hi, aggivessana, āraññakā nāgā yadidaṁ—nāgavanaṁ. Tamenaṁ nāgavaniko rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa ārocesi: ‘abbhokāsagato kho, deva, āraññako nāgo’ti. Atha kho aggivessana, tamenaṁ rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto hatthidamakaṁ āmantesi: ‘ehi tvaṁ, samma hatthidamaka, āraññakaṁ nāgaṁ damayāhi āraññakānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāyā’ti.
“Suppose, Aggivessana, a crowned king were to say to his elephant tracker thus: ‘Come, elephant tracker, mount the king’s elephant, enter the elephant forest, and when you spot a forest elephant, bind him by the neck to the king’s elephant.’ Having replied ‘Yes, sire,’ the elephant tracker mounts the king’s elephant, enters the elephant forest, and when he spots a forest elephant, binds him by the neck to the king’s elephant. Then the royal elephant draws the forest elephant out into the open. It is in this way that a forest elephant comes out in the open; for the forest elephant clings to the elephant forest. Then the elephant tracker reports to the crowned king: ‘Sire, the forest elephant has come out into the open.’ Then Aggivessana, the crowned king addresses his elephant tamer thus: ‘Come, elephant tamer, tame the forest elephant. |Subdue::stamp out, straighten out, smooth out; lit. completely crush down [abhinimmadana]| his forest habits, subdue his forest memories and thoughts, subdue his |stress, fatigue, and fever::anxiety, weariness, and mental torment [darathakilamathapariḷāha]| over leaving the forest. Get him to take delight in the village area, inculcate in him habits pleasing to human beings.’
‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, aggivessana, hatthidamako rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa paṭissutvā mahantaṁ thambhaṁ pathaviyaṁ nikhaṇitvā āraññakassa nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhati āraññakānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāya. Tamenaṁ hatthidamako yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā tathārūpāhi vācāhi samudācarati. Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā tathārūpāhi vācāhi samudācariyamāno sussūsati, sotaṁ odahati, aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti; tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari tiṇaghāsodakaṁ anuppavecchati.
‘Yes, sire,’ the elephant tamer replies to the crowned king. Then he plants a great post firmly in the ground and binds the wild elephant by the neck to it—so as to subdue his forest habits, subdue his forest memories and thoughts, subdue his stress, fatigue, and fever over leaving the forest; to get him to take delight in the village area, and to train him in habits pleasing to human beings. Then the elephant tamer addresses the elephant with words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and loveable, as go to the heart, are courteous, desired by many, and agreeable to many. When the wild elephant is addressed by such words by the elephant tamer, he listens, lends his ear, and directs his mind towards understanding. Then the elephant tamer provides him further with |edible grass and water::feed grass and water [tiṇaghāsodaka]|.
Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa tiṇaghāsodakaṁ paṭiggaṇhāti, tatra hatthidamakassa evaṁ hoti: ‘jīvissati kho dāni āraññako nāgo’ti. Tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari kāraṇaṁ kāreti: ‘ādiya, bho, nikkhipa, bho’ti. Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa ādānanikkhepe vacanakaro hoti ovādappaṭikaro, tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari kāraṇaṁ kāreti: ‘abhikkama, bho, paṭikkama, bho’ti. Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa abhikkamapaṭikkamavacanakaro hoti ovādappaṭikaro, tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari kāraṇaṁ kāreti: ‘uṭṭhaha, bho, nisīda, bho’ti.
When the wild elephant accepts the edible grass and water from him, the elephant tamer knows: ‘Now the wild elephant will live!’ Then the tamer gives him further training, saying: ‘Take it, good elephant! Put it down, good elephant!’ When the wild elephant obeys in taking up and putting down, being responsive to his instructions, the tamer gives him further training: ‘Forward, good elephant! Backward, good elephant!’ When the wild elephant obeys in moving forward and backward, being responsive to his instructions, the tamer gives him further training: ‘Stand up, good elephant! Sit down, good elephant!’
Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa uṭṭhānanisajjāya vacanakaro hoti ovādappaṭikaro, tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari āneñjaṁ nāma kāraṇaṁ kāreti, mahantassa phalakaṁ soṇḍāya upanibandhati, tomarahattho ca puriso uparigīvāya nisinno hoti, samantato ca tomarahatthā purisā parivāretvā ṭhitā honti, hatthidamako ca dīghatomarayaṭṭhiṁ gahetvā purato ṭhito hoti. So āneñjaṁ kāraṇaṁ kāriyamāno neva purime pāde copeti na pacchime pāde copeti, na purimakāyaṁ copeti na pacchimakāyaṁ copeti, na sīsaṁ copeti, na kaṇṇe copeti, na dante copeti, na naṅguṭṭhaṁ copeti, na soṇḍaṁ copeti. So hoti āraññako nāgo khamo sattippahārānaṁ asippahārānaṁ usuppahārānaṁ sarapattappahārānaṁ bheripaṇavavaṁsasaṅkhaḍiṇḍimaninnādasaddānaṁ sabbavaṅkadosanihitaninnītakasāvo rājāraho rājabhoggo rañño aṅganteva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.
When, Aggivessana, the wild elephant obeys the tamer’s commands to stand and sit, being responsive to instruction, then the tamer gives him further training in the task called |imperturbability::perfect stillness [āneñja]|. He fastens a great plank to his trunk; a man armed with a spear sits upon his neck; men armed with spears surround him on all sides; and the elephant tamer himself, holding a long spear-staff, stands in front. When the elephant is being trained in the task of imperturbability, he does not move his forelegs or his hindlegs; he does not move his forequarters or his hindquarters; he does not move his head, ears, tusks, tail, or trunk. That wild elephant then becomes tolerant of blows from spears, swords, lances, and arrows; tolerant of the thundering sounds of drums, kettledrums, cymbals, gongs, and horns. Being rid of all faults and defects, purged of flaws, he is worthy of the king, suitable to be used by the king, and reckoned among the royal assets.
Evameva kho, aggivessana, idha tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā. So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti. So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.
So too, Aggivessana, a |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]|, an Arahant, a perfectly Awakened One arises in the world, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, who has reached the destination, knower of the world, unsurpassed guide of trainable persons, teacher of gods and humans, Buddha, Fortunate One. He declares this world with its |deities::gods [devas]|, |Māras::demons, tempters, beings of delusion; lit. causing death [mārake]|, |Brahmas::Gods; celestial beings residing in the Brahmā realms, often considered to be highly refined and long-lived deities. [brahmā]|, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, kings and commoners, which he has himself realized with direct knowledge. He teaches the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| that is beneficial in the beginning, beneficial in the middle, and beneficial in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, and he reveals a |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]| that is entirely perfect and pure.
Taṁ dhammaṁ suṇāti gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā aññatarasmiṁ vā kule paccājāto. So taṁ dhammaṁ sutvā tathāgate saddhaṁ paṭilabhati. So tena saddhāpaṭilābhena samannāgato iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘sambādho gharāvāso rajāpatho, abbhokāso pabbajjā. Nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti.
A householder or householder’s son or someone born into a certain family hears the Dhamma. On hearing the Dhamma, he acquires |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]| in the Tathāgata. Endowed with that faith, he reflects thus: ‘The household life is |confined::crowded, cramped [sambādha]|, a dusty path; life gone forth is wide open. While dwelling in a house, it is not easy to live the spiritual life completely perfect and pure as a polished shell. Suppose I shave off my hair and beard, put on the |ochre robes::organic brown color robes; monks’ robes [kāsāya]|, and go forth from the household life into homelessness.’
So aparena samayena appaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ pahāya mahantaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ pahāya appaṁ vā ñātiparivaṭṭaṁ pahāya mahantaṁ vā ñātiparivaṭṭaṁ pahāya kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati. Ettāvatā kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvako abbhokāsagato hoti. Etthagedhā hi, aggivessana, devamanussā yadidaṁ—pañca kāmaguṇā.
Then, at a later time, having given up a small or large fortune, having left behind a small or large circle of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness. It is in this way, Aggivessana, that a disciple of the Noble Ones comes out in the open; for gods and humans cling to the five cords of sensual pleasure.
Tamenaṁ tathāgato uttariṁ vineti: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, sīlavā hohi, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharāhi ācāragocarasampanno, aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhassu sikkhāpadesū’ti.
Then the Tathāgata trains him further, saying: ‘Come, bhikkhu, be |virtuous::ethical, moral [sīlavant]|, restrained by the restraint of the |moral code of conduct::monastic code of discipline which promotes harmonious and pure conduct with others [pātimokkha]|, know how to behave and keep to suitable places, see danger even in the slightest fault, and undertake the training by practicing the training rules.’
Yato kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvako sīlavā hoti, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu, tamenaṁ tathāgato uttariṁ vineti: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, indriyesu guttadvāro hohi, cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā mā nimittaggāhī …pe…
When, Aggivessana, a bhikkhu is virtuous, restrained with the restraint of the moral code of conduct, endowed with conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, and undertakes the training in the precepts, then the Tathāgata further trains him: ‘Come, bhikkhu, guard the doors of your sense faculties. Upon seeing a |form::a visible object such as a beautiful sight, a face, an expression, art, ornament, possession, status symbol, admired appearance, or enticing scenery—anything seen that can produce desire, attachment, or self-view [rūpa]| with the eye, do not |grasp at its prominent features::focusing on its external characteristics [nimittaggāhī]| ...
(yathā gaṇakamoggallānasuttante, evaṁ vitthāretabbāni.)
(Just as in the Gaṇakamoggallāna Sutta, these should be explained in full detail. See MN 107 ¶4 - ¶9)
So ime pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
Having abandoned these five hindrances, imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, he dwells observing the body in and of itself, |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|, fully aware and being present, having removed craving and distress with regard to the world.
Vedanāsu …pe… citte … dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, hatthidamako mahantaṁ thambhaṁ pathaviyaṁ nikhaṇitvā āraññakassa nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhati āraññakānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāya; evameva kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvakassa ime cattāro satipaṭṭhānā cetaso upanibandhanā honti gehasitānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gehasitānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gehasitānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya.
In the same way, he dwells observing the |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| in and of itself, he dwells observing the |mind::the faculty of thought and intention, often restless or wandering [citta]| in and of itself, he dwells observing the |mental qualities::characteristics, traits, and tendencies of the mind, shaped by repeated actions and sustained attention, guided by particular ways of understanding; they may be wholesome or unwholesome, bright or dark [dhammā]| in and of themselves, with continuous effort, fully aware and being present, having removed craving and distress with regard to the world. Just as, Aggivessana, the elephant tamer plants a great post firmly in the ground and binds the wild elephant by the neck to it—so as to subdue his forest habits, subdue his forest memories and thoughts, subdue his stress, fatigue, and fever over leaving the forest; to get him to take delight in the village area, and to train him in habits pleasing to human beings—even so, Aggivessana, these four establishments of mindfulness are the bindings for the mind of the disciple of the Noble Ones in order to subdue his habits based on the household life, to subdue his memories and thoughts about the household life, to subdue his stress, fatigue, and fever over leaving the household life, and for the attainment of the true way and |personal realization::intimate experience [sacchikiriyā]| of |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating [nibbāna]|.
Tamenaṁ tathāgato uttariṁ vineti: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi, mā ca kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkesi. Vedanāsu … citte … dhammesu dhammānupassī viharāhi, mā ca kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkesī’ti.
Then the Tathāgata further trains him: ‘Come, bhikkhu, dwell observing the body in and of itself, and do not think thoughts connected with sensual desire. Dwell observing the felt experience, the mind, and the mental qualities in and of themselves, and do not think thoughts connected with sensual desire.’
So vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
With the |settling::calming, conciliation, subsiding [vūpasama]| of reflection and examination, the bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna, characterized by internal |tranquility::calming, settling, confidence [sampasādana]| and |unification::singleness, integration [ekodibhāva]| of mind, free from reflection and examination, |born of collectedness::born from a stable mind [samādhija]|, and imbued with joyful pleasure. He then enters and dwells in the third jhāna, and then enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.
So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti. So anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo …pe… iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.
Thus with the mind collected, purified, clarified, blemish-free, free from impurities, flexible, suitable for use, stable, and unshakeable, he directs the mind towards the knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many |aeon::lifespan of a world system, a vast cosmic time span [kappa]|s of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion: ‘There I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-span; passing away from there, I was reborn elsewhere; there too I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-span; passing away from there, I was reborn here.’ Thus with their aspects and particulars, he recollects his manifold past lives.
So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti. So dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate …pe… yathākammūpage satte pajānāti.
Thus, with the mind collected, purified, clarified, blemish-free, free from impurities, malleable, flexible, suitable for use, and unshakeable, he directs the mind towards the knowledge of the passing away and reappearing of beings. With the |divine eye::the faculty of clairvoyance, the ability to see beyond the ordinary human range [dibbacakkhu]|, which is purified and surpassing human vision, he sees beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in fortunate and unfortunate destinations—and he understands how beings fare |according to their kamma::in line with their actions [yathākammūpaga]|: ‘These beings, who engaged in bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong view, and undertook actions under the influence of |wrong view::a distorted perception, an untrue view, a false belief [micchādiṭṭhi]|—upon the breakup of the body, after death, have arisen in a state of loss, a bad destination, a place of ruin, even in hell. But these beings, who engaged in good bodily, verbal, and mental conduct, who did not revile the Noble Ones, held right view, and undertook actions under the influence of |right view::view that is in line with the Dhamma - teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [sammādiṭṭhi]|—upon the breakup of the body, after death, have arisen in a good destination, the heavenly world.’ Thus with the divine eye, which is purified and surpassing human vision, he sees beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in fortunate and unfortunate destinations — and he understands how beings fare according to their kamma.
So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte āsavānaṁ khayañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti; ‘ime āsavā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Tassa evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
Thus, with the mind collected, purified, clarified, blemish-free, free from impurities, malleable, flexible, suitable for use, and unshakeable, he directs the mind towards the knowledge of the ending of the |taints::defilements, pollutants [āsava]|. He understands as it actually is, ‘This is |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the |way of practice leading to the end of suffering::i.e. the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness [dukkhanirodhagāmī]|.’ He understands as it actually is, ‘These are the taints,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the arising of taints,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the end of taints,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the way of practice leading to the end of taints.’ Knowing and seeing thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, the taint of becoming, and the taint of |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]|. In liberation, there arises the knowledge: ‘Liberated.’
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.
He understands: ‘Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.’
So hoti bhikkhu khamo sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ, uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti sabbarāgadosamohanihitaninnītakasāvo āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.
That bhikkhu is able to endure cold and heat, hunger and thirst, and contact of flies, mosquitoes, wind, the sun, and creeping creatures; he is able to endure ill-spoken, unwelcome words, and arisen bodily feelings that are painful, intense, harsh, sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant, and even life-threatening. Being rid of all |greed::a grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment [lobha]|, |aversion::hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]|, and |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]|, with all impurities removed, he is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
Mahallako cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo adanto avinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ mahallako rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo. Daharo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo adanto avinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ daharo rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; evameva kho, aggivessana, thero cepi bhikkhu akhīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ thero bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu. Navo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu akhīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ navo bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.
If, Aggivessana, the king’s elephant dies in old age untamed and untrained, then he is considered an old elephant that has died an untamed death. If a middle-aged king’s elephant dies untamed and untrained, then he is considered a middle-aged elephant that has died an untamed death. If a young king’s elephant dies untamed and untrained, then he is considered a young elephant that has died an untamed death. So too, Aggivessana, if an elder bhikkhu dies with his taints undestroyed, then he is considered an elder bhikkhu who has died an untamed death. If a bhikkhu of middle status dies with his taints undestroyed, then he is considered a bhikkhu of middle status who has died an untamed death. If a newly ordained bhikkhu dies with his taints undestroyed, then he is considered a newly ordained bhikkhu who has died an untamed death.
Mahallako cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo sudanto suvinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ mahallako rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo … daharo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo sudanto suvinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ daharo rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; evameva kho, aggivessana, thero cepi bhikkhu khīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ thero bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu. Navo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu khīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ navo bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatī”ti.
If, Aggivessana, the king’s elephant dies in old age well tamed and well trained, then he is considered an old elephant that has died a tamed death. If a middle-aged king’s elephant dies well tamed and well trained, then he is considered a middle-aged elephant that has died a tamed death. If a young king’s elephant dies well tamed and well trained, then he is considered a young elephant that has died a tamed death. So too, Aggivessana, if an elder bhikkhu dies with his taints destroyed, then he is considered an elder bhikkhu who has died a tamed death. If a bhikkhu of middle status dies with his taints destroyed, then he is considered a bhikkhu of middle status who has died a tamed death. If a newly ordained bhikkhu dies with his taints destroyed, then he is considered a newly ordained bhikkhu who has died a tamed death.
Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano aciravato samaṇuddeso bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
The Blessed One said this. The novice Aciravata delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ feeding ground.
At that time, the novice Aciravata was dwelling in a small hut in the forest. Then |Prince Jayasena::name of a prince; lit. victorious army. MA identifies Prince Jayasena as a son of King Bimbisāra [jayasena]|, while walking and wandering for exercise, went to where novice Aciravata was. Having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the novice Aciravata.
After having engaged in courteous and polite conversation, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Prince Jayasena said to the novice Aciravata: “I have heard it said, sir |Aggivessana::A brahmin clan name signifying descent from the ancient lineage of fire-worshippers. In ancient India, addressing someone by their clan name was a customary mark of respect. [aggivessana]|: ‘A bhikkhu who abides here |diligent::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|, |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|, and |determined::resolute, applying oneself [pahitatta]| can achieve |unification of mind::one-pointedness, concentration, oneness of mind [ekaggatā]|.’”
“That is so, prince, that is so. A bhikkhu who abides here diligent, with continuous effort, and determined can achieve unification of mind.”
“It would be good if sir Aggivessana would teach me the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| as he has learned it and mastered it.”
“I cannot teach you the Dhamma as I have learned it and mastered it, prince. For if I were to teach you the Dhamma as I have learned it and mastered it, you would not understand the meaning of my words, and that would lead to |weariness::fatigue, tiredness [kilamatha]| and |vexation::affliction, irritation [vighāta]| for me.”
“Let sir Aggivessana teach me the Dhamma as he has learned it and mastered it. Perhaps I can understand the meaning of his words.”
“I shall teach you the Dhamma, prince, as I have learned it and mastered it. If you can understand the meaning of my words, that will be good. But if you were to not understand them, then you should leave it at that and not question me further about it.”
“Let sir Aggivessana teach me the Dhamma as he has learned it and mastered it. If I can understand the meaning of his words, that will be good. If I do not understand the meaning, I will leave it at that and I will not question him further about it.”
Then the novice Aciravata taught Prince Jayasena the Dhamma as he had heard it and mastered it. After he had spoken, Prince Jayasena remarked: “It is impossible, sir Aggivessana, it cannot happen that a bhikkhu who abides diligent, with continuous effort, and determined can achieve unification of mind.” Then, having declared to the novice Aciravata that this was impossible and could not happen, Prince Jayasena rose from his seat and departed.
Soon after Prince Jayasena had left, the novice Aciravata went to the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the novice Aciravata reported in full to the Blessed One the entire conversation that had taken place with Prince Jayasena.
When he had finished, the Blessed One said to the novice Aciravata:
“‘Aggivessana, how could it be possible that Prince Jayasena, living in the midst of sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, being devoured by thoughts of sensual pleasures, being consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, |restlessly obsessed with::anxiously striving for, zealously desiring, ambitious about [ussuka]| the pursuit of sensual pleasures, could know, see, or realize that which must be known through |renunciation::going out state, rejection of sensual pleasure [nekkhamma]|, seen through renunciation, attained through renunciation, and personally experienced through renunciation?’ That is not possible.
Suppose, Aggivessana, there were two tamable elephants, horses, or oxen that were well tamed and well trained, and two tamable elephants, horses, or oxen that were untamed and untrained. What do you think, Aggivessana? Would not those two tameable elephants, horses, or oxen that were well tamed and well trained, being tamed, be fit for the work of the tamed? Would they not, being tamed, reach the |ground of mastery::level of mastery, epithet of an Arahant [dantabhūmi]|?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“But would the two tamable elephants, horses, or oxen that were untamed and untrained, being untamed, be fit for the work of the tamed? Would they, being untamed, reach the ground of mastery, just like those two that were well tamed and well trained?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“So too, Aggivessana, it is impossible that Prince Jayasena, living in the midst of sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, being devoured by thoughts of sensual pleasures, being consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, restlessly obsessed with the pursuit of sensual pleasures, could know, see, or realize that which must be known through renunciation, seen through renunciation, attained through renunciation, and personally experienced through renunciation. That is not possible.
Suppose, Aggivessana, there were a great mountain not far from a village or town, and two friends would leave that village or town and approach the mountain hand in hand. Having reached it, one friend would remain below at the foot of the mountain while the other would climb up to the mountain peak. Then the friend who remained below at the foot of the mountain said to his friend who climbed up to the mountain peak: ‘Well, friend, what do you see from the mountain peak?’ And the one on the mountain peak replied: ‘Friend, from here, I can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.’
Then the friend at the foot of the mountain would say: ‘Friend, that is impossible, it cannot be, that from the mountain peak you can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.’ Then the one on the mountain peak would come down to the foot of the mountain, take his friend by the arm, and make him climb to the top of the mountain. After giving him a few moments to catch his breath, he would ask: ‘Well, friend, what do you see now from the mountain peak?’ Then the other would reply: ‘Indeed, friend, now that I am on the mountain peak, I too can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.’
Then the other would say: ‘Friend, just a little earlier we heard you say: “It is impossible, it cannot be, that from the mountain peak you can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.” But just now we heard you say: “Now that I am on the mountain peak, I too can see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful meadows, and delightful lotus ponds.” Then the first friend would reply: ‘Friend, it was because I was |obstructed by::hindered by [āvuta]| this great mountain that I could not see what was there to be seen.’
So too, Aggivessana, Prince Jayasena is obstructed, hindered, engulfed, and encircled by a |mass of ignorance::lit. mountain of not knowing [avijjākhandha]| far greater than this. Thus it is impossible that Prince Jayasena, living in the midst of sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, being devoured by thoughts of sensual pleasures, being consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, restlessly obsessed with the pursuit of sensual pleasures, could know, see, or realize that which must be known through renunciation, seen through renunciation, attained through renunciation, and personally experienced through renunciation. That is not possible. If these two similes had occurred to you, Aggivessana, Prince Jayasena would have spontaneously acquired confidence in you, and being confident, would have |shown his confidence::displayed his faith [pasannākāra]| to you.”
“Venerable sir, how could these two similes have occurred to me with regard to Prince Jayasena as they occur to the Blessed One, since they are spontaneous and have never been heard before?”
“Suppose, Aggivessana, a crowned king were to say to his elephant tracker thus: ‘Come, elephant tracker, mount the king’s elephant, enter the elephant forest, and when you spot a forest elephant, bind him by the neck to the king’s elephant.’ Having replied ‘Yes, sire,’ the elephant tracker mounts the king’s elephant, enters the elephant forest, and when he spots a forest elephant, binds him by the neck to the king’s elephant. Then the royal elephant draws the forest elephant out into the open. It is in this way that a forest elephant comes out in the open; for the forest elephant clings to the elephant forest. Then the elephant tracker reports to the crowned king: ‘Sire, the forest elephant has come out into the open.’ Then Aggivessana, the crowned king addresses his elephant tamer thus: ‘Come, elephant tamer, tame the forest elephant. |Subdue::stamp out, straighten out, smooth out; lit. completely crush down [abhinimmadana]| his forest habits, subdue his forest memories and thoughts, subdue his |stress, fatigue, and fever::anxiety, weariness, and mental torment [darathakilamathapariḷāha]| over leaving the forest. Get him to take delight in the village area, inculcate in him habits pleasing to human beings.’
‘Yes, sire,’ the elephant tamer replies to the crowned king. Then he plants a great post firmly in the ground and binds the wild elephant by the neck to it—so as to subdue his forest habits, subdue his forest memories and thoughts, subdue his stress, fatigue, and fever over leaving the forest; to get him to take delight in the village area, and to train him in habits pleasing to human beings. Then the elephant tamer addresses the elephant with words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and loveable, as go to the heart, are courteous, desired by many, and agreeable to many. When the wild elephant is addressed by such words by the elephant tamer, he listens, lends his ear, and directs his mind towards understanding. Then the elephant tamer provides him further with |edible grass and water::feed grass and water [tiṇaghāsodaka]|.
When the wild elephant accepts the edible grass and water from him, the elephant tamer knows: ‘Now the wild elephant will live!’ Then the tamer gives him further training, saying: ‘Take it, good elephant! Put it down, good elephant!’ When the wild elephant obeys in taking up and putting down, being responsive to his instructions, the tamer gives him further training: ‘Forward, good elephant! Backward, good elephant!’ When the wild elephant obeys in moving forward and backward, being responsive to his instructions, the tamer gives him further training: ‘Stand up, good elephant! Sit down, good elephant!’
When, Aggivessana, the wild elephant obeys the tamer’s commands to stand and sit, being responsive to instruction, then the tamer gives him further training in the task called |imperturbability::perfect stillness [āneñja]|. He fastens a great plank to his trunk; a man armed with a spear sits upon his neck; men armed with spears surround him on all sides; and the elephant tamer himself, holding a long spear-staff, stands in front. When the elephant is being trained in the task of imperturbability, he does not move his forelegs or his hindlegs; he does not move his forequarters or his hindquarters; he does not move his head, ears, tusks, tail, or trunk. That wild elephant then becomes tolerant of blows from spears, swords, lances, and arrows; tolerant of the thundering sounds of drums, kettledrums, cymbals, gongs, and horns. Being rid of all faults and defects, purged of flaws, he is worthy of the king, suitable to be used by the king, and reckoned among the royal assets.
So too, Aggivessana, a |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]|, an Arahant, a perfectly Awakened One arises in the world, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, who has reached the destination, knower of the world, unsurpassed guide of trainable persons, teacher of gods and humans, Buddha, Fortunate One. He declares this world with its |deities::gods [devas]|, |Māras::demons, tempters, beings of delusion; lit. causing death [mārake]|, |Brahmas::Gods; celestial beings residing in the Brahmā realms, often considered to be highly refined and long-lived deities. [brahmā]|, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, kings and commoners, which he has himself realized with direct knowledge. He teaches the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| that is beneficial in the beginning, beneficial in the middle, and beneficial in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, and he reveals a |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]| that is entirely perfect and pure.
A householder or householder’s son or someone born into a certain family hears the Dhamma. On hearing the Dhamma, he acquires |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]| in the Tathāgata. Endowed with that faith, he reflects thus: ‘The household life is |confined::crowded, cramped [sambādha]|, a dusty path; life gone forth is wide open. While dwelling in a house, it is not easy to live the spiritual life completely perfect and pure as a polished shell. Suppose I shave off my hair and beard, put on the |ochre robes::organic brown color robes; monks’ robes [kāsāya]|, and go forth from the household life into homelessness.’
Then, at a later time, having given up a small or large fortune, having left behind a small or large circle of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness. It is in this way, Aggivessana, that a disciple of the Noble Ones comes out in the open; for gods and humans cling to the five cords of sensual pleasure.
Then the Tathāgata trains him further, saying: ‘Come, bhikkhu, be |virtuous::ethical, moral [sīlavant]|, restrained by the restraint of the |moral code of conduct::monastic code of discipline which promotes harmonious and pure conduct with others [pātimokkha]|, know how to behave and keep to suitable places, see danger even in the slightest fault, and undertake the training by practicing the training rules.’
When, Aggivessana, a bhikkhu is virtuous, restrained with the restraint of the moral code of conduct, endowed with conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, and undertakes the training in the precepts, then the Tathāgata further trains him: ‘Come, bhikkhu, guard the doors of your sense faculties. Upon seeing a |form::a visible object such as a beautiful sight, a face, an expression, art, ornament, possession, status symbol, admired appearance, or enticing scenery—anything seen that can produce desire, attachment, or self-view [rūpa]| with the eye, do not |grasp at its prominent features::focusing on its external characteristics [nimittaggāhī]| ...
(Just as in the Gaṇakamoggallāna Sutta, these should be explained in full detail. See MN 107 ¶4 - ¶9)
Having abandoned these five hindrances, imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, he dwells observing the body in and of itself, |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|, fully aware and being present, having removed craving and distress with regard to the world.
In the same way, he dwells observing the |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| in and of itself, he dwells observing the |mind::the faculty of thought and intention, often restless or wandering [citta]| in and of itself, he dwells observing the |mental qualities::characteristics, traits, and tendencies of the mind, shaped by repeated actions and sustained attention, guided by particular ways of understanding; they may be wholesome or unwholesome, bright or dark [dhammā]| in and of themselves, with continuous effort, fully aware and being present, having removed craving and distress with regard to the world. Just as, Aggivessana, the elephant tamer plants a great post firmly in the ground and binds the wild elephant by the neck to it—so as to subdue his forest habits, subdue his forest memories and thoughts, subdue his stress, fatigue, and fever over leaving the forest; to get him to take delight in the village area, and to train him in habits pleasing to human beings—even so, Aggivessana, these four establishments of mindfulness are the bindings for the mind of the disciple of the Noble Ones in order to subdue his habits based on the household life, to subdue his memories and thoughts about the household life, to subdue his stress, fatigue, and fever over leaving the household life, and for the attainment of the true way and |personal realization::intimate experience [sacchikiriyā]| of |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating [nibbāna]|.
Then the Tathāgata further trains him: ‘Come, bhikkhu, dwell observing the body in and of itself, and do not think thoughts connected with sensual desire. Dwell observing the felt experience, the mind, and the mental qualities in and of themselves, and do not think thoughts connected with sensual desire.’
With the |settling::calming, conciliation, subsiding [vūpasama]| of reflection and examination, the bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna, characterized by internal |tranquility::calming, settling, confidence [sampasādana]| and |unification::singleness, integration [ekodibhāva]| of mind, free from reflection and examination, |born of collectedness::born from a stable mind [samādhija]|, and imbued with joyful pleasure. He then enters and dwells in the third jhāna, and then enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.
Thus with the mind collected, purified, clarified, blemish-free, free from impurities, flexible, suitable for use, stable, and unshakeable, he directs the mind towards the knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many |aeon::lifespan of a world system, a vast cosmic time span [kappa]|s of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion: ‘There I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-span; passing away from there, I was reborn elsewhere; there too I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-span; passing away from there, I was reborn here.’ Thus with their aspects and particulars, he recollects his manifold past lives.
Thus, with the mind collected, purified, clarified, blemish-free, free from impurities, malleable, flexible, suitable for use, and unshakeable, he directs the mind towards the knowledge of the passing away and reappearing of beings. With the |divine eye::the faculty of clairvoyance, the ability to see beyond the ordinary human range [dibbacakkhu]|, which is purified and surpassing human vision, he sees beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in fortunate and unfortunate destinations—and he understands how beings fare |according to their kamma::in line with their actions [yathākammūpaga]|: ‘These beings, who engaged in bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong view, and undertook actions under the influence of |wrong view::a distorted perception, an untrue view, a false belief [micchādiṭṭhi]|—upon the breakup of the body, after death, have arisen in a state of loss, a bad destination, a place of ruin, even in hell. But these beings, who engaged in good bodily, verbal, and mental conduct, who did not revile the Noble Ones, held right view, and undertook actions under the influence of |right view::view that is in line with the Dhamma - teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [sammādiṭṭhi]|—upon the breakup of the body, after death, have arisen in a good destination, the heavenly world.’ Thus with the divine eye, which is purified and surpassing human vision, he sees beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in fortunate and unfortunate destinations — and he understands how beings fare according to their kamma.
Thus, with the mind collected, purified, clarified, blemish-free, free from impurities, malleable, flexible, suitable for use, and unshakeable, he directs the mind towards the knowledge of the ending of the |taints::defilements, pollutants [āsava]|. He understands as it actually is, ‘This is |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the |way of practice leading to the end of suffering::i.e. the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness [dukkhanirodhagāmī]|.’ He understands as it actually is, ‘These are the taints,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the arising of taints,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the end of taints,’ he understands as it actually is, ‘This is the way of practice leading to the end of taints.’ Knowing and seeing thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, the taint of becoming, and the taint of |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]|. In liberation, there arises the knowledge: ‘Liberated.’
He understands: ‘Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.’
That bhikkhu is able to endure cold and heat, hunger and thirst, and contact of flies, mosquitoes, wind, the sun, and creeping creatures; he is able to endure ill-spoken, unwelcome words, and arisen bodily feelings that are painful, intense, harsh, sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant, and even life-threatening. Being rid of all |greed::a grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment [lobha]|, |aversion::hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]|, and |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]|, with all impurities removed, he is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
If, Aggivessana, the king’s elephant dies in old age untamed and untrained, then he is considered an old elephant that has died an untamed death. If a middle-aged king’s elephant dies untamed and untrained, then he is considered a middle-aged elephant that has died an untamed death. If a young king’s elephant dies untamed and untrained, then he is considered a young elephant that has died an untamed death. So too, Aggivessana, if an elder bhikkhu dies with his taints undestroyed, then he is considered an elder bhikkhu who has died an untamed death. If a bhikkhu of middle status dies with his taints undestroyed, then he is considered a bhikkhu of middle status who has died an untamed death. If a newly ordained bhikkhu dies with his taints undestroyed, then he is considered a newly ordained bhikkhu who has died an untamed death.
If, Aggivessana, the king’s elephant dies in old age well tamed and well trained, then he is considered an old elephant that has died a tamed death. If a middle-aged king’s elephant dies well tamed and well trained, then he is considered a middle-aged elephant that has died a tamed death. If a young king’s elephant dies well tamed and well trained, then he is considered a young elephant that has died a tamed death. So too, Aggivessana, if an elder bhikkhu dies with his taints destroyed, then he is considered an elder bhikkhu who has died a tamed death. If a bhikkhu of middle status dies with his taints destroyed, then he is considered a bhikkhu of middle status who has died a tamed death. If a newly ordained bhikkhu dies with his taints destroyed, then he is considered a newly ordained bhikkhu who has died a tamed death.
The Blessed One said this. The novice Aciravata delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Tena kho pana samayena aciravato samaṇuddeso araññakuṭikāyaṁ viharati. Atha kho jayaseno rājakumāro jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno anuvicaramāno yena aciravato samaṇuddeso tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā aciravatena samaṇuddesena saddhiṁ sammodi.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jayaseno rājakumāro aciravataṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavoca: “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bho aggivessana: ‘idha bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan’”ti.
“Evametaṁ, rājakumāra, evametaṁ, rājakumāra. Idha bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan”ti.
“Sādhu me bhavaṁ aggivessano yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ desetū”ti.
“Na kho te ahaṁ, rājakumāra, sakkomi yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ desetuṁ. Ahañca hi te, rājakumāra, yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, tvañca me bhāsitassa atthaṁ na ājāneyyāsi; so mamassa kilamatho, sā mamassa vihesā”ti.
“Desetu me bhavaṁ aggivessano yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ. Appevanāmāhaṁ bhoto aggivessanassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyan”ti.
“Deseyyaṁ kho te ahaṁ, rājakumāra, yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ. Sace me tvaṁ bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyāsi, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ; no ce me tvaṁ bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyāsi, yathāsake tiṭṭheyyāsi, na maṁ tattha uttariṁ paṭipuccheyyāsī”ti.
“Desetu me bhavaṁ aggivessano yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ. Sace ahaṁ bhoto aggivessanassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmi, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ; no ce ahaṁ bhoto aggivessanassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmi, yathāsake tiṭṭhissāmi, nāhaṁ tattha bhavantaṁ aggivessanaṁ uttariṁ paṭipucchissāmī”ti.
Atha kho aciravato samaṇuddeso jayasenassa rājakumārassa yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ desesi. Evaṁ vutte, jayaseno rājakumāro aciravataṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavoca: “aṭṭhānametaṁ, bho aggivessana, anavakāso yaṁ bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan”ti. Atha kho jayaseno rājakumāro aciravatassa samaṇuddesassa aṭṭhānatañca anavakāsatañca pavedetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.
Atha kho aciravato samaṇuddeso acirapakkante jayasene rājakumāre yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho aciravato samaṇuddeso yāvatako ahosi jayasenena rājakumārena saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā aciravataṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavoca:
“‘taṁ kutettha, aggivessana, labbhā. Yaṁ taṁ nekkhammena ñātabbaṁ nekkhammena daṭṭhabbaṁ nekkhammena pattabbaṁ nekkhammena sacchikātabbaṁ taṁ vata jayaseno rājakumāro kāmamajjhe vasanto kāme paribhuñjanto kāmavitakkehi khajjamāno kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhamāno kāmapariyesanāya ussuko ñassati vā dakkhati vā sacchi vā karissatī’ti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
Seyyathāpissu, aggivessana, dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā, dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā adantā avinītā. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, aggivessana, ye te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā, api nu te dantāva dantakāraṇaṁ gaccheyyuṁ, dantāva dantabhūmiṁ sampāpuṇeyyun”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Ye pana te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā adantā avinītā, api nu te adantāva dantakāraṇaṁ gaccheyyuṁ, adantāva dantabhūmiṁ sampāpuṇeyyuṁ, seyyathāpi te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Evameva kho, aggivessana, ‘yaṁ taṁ nekkhammena ñātabbaṁ nekkhammena daṭṭhabbaṁ nekkhammena pattabbaṁ nekkhammena sacchikātabbaṁ taṁ vata jayaseno rājakumāro kāmamajjhe vasanto kāme paribhuñjanto kāmavitakkehi khajjamāno kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhamāno kāmapariyesanāya ussuko ñassati vā dakkhati vā sacchi vā karissatī’ti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahāpabbato. Tamenaṁ dve sahāyakā tamhā gāmā vā nigamā vā nikkhamitvā hatthavilaṅghakena yena so pabbato tenupasaṅkameyyuṁ; upasaṅkamitvā eko sahāyako heṭṭhā pabbatapāde tiṭṭheyya, eko sahāyako uparipabbataṁ āroheyya. Tamenaṁ heṭṭhā pabbatapāde ṭhito sahāyako uparipabbate ṭhitaṁ sahāyakaṁ evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yaṁ, samma, kiṁ tvaṁ passasi uparipabbate ṭhito’ti? So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘passāmi kho ahaṁ, samma, uparipabbate ṭhito ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.
So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, samma, anavakāso yaṁ tvaṁ uparipabbate ṭhito passeyyāsi ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti. Tamenaṁ uparipabbate ṭhito sahāyako heṭṭhimapabbatapādaṁ orohitvā taṁ sahāyakaṁ bāhāyaṁ gahetvā uparipabbataṁ āropetvā muhuttaṁ assāsetvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yaṁ, samma, kiṁ tvaṁ passasi uparipabbate ṭhito’ti? So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘passāmi kho ahaṁ, samma, uparipabbate ṭhito ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.
So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘idāneva kho te, samma, bhāsitaṁ—mayaṁ evaṁ ājānāma—aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ samma, anavakāso yaṁ tvaṁ uparipabbate ṭhito passeyyāsi ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti. Idāneva ca pana te bhāsitaṁ mayaṁ evaṁ ājānāma: ‘passāmi kho ahaṁ, samma, uparipabbate ṭhito ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘tathā hi panāhaṁ, samma, iminā mahatā pabbatena āvuto daṭṭheyyaṁ nāddasan’ti.
Ato mahantatarena, aggivessana, ‘avijjākhandhena jayaseno rājakumāro āvuto nivuto ophuṭo pariyonaddho. So vata yaṁ taṁ nekkhammena ñātabbaṁ nekkhammena daṭṭhabbaṁ nekkhammena pattabbaṁ nekkhammena sacchikātabbaṁ taṁ vata jayaseno rājakumāro kāmamajjhe vasanto kāme paribhuñjanto kāmavitakkehi khajjamāno kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhamāno kāmapariyesanāya ussuko ñassati vā dakkhati vā sacchi vā karissatī’ti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Sace kho taṁ, aggivessana, jayasenassa rājakumārassa imā dve upamā paṭibhāyeyyuṁ, anacchariyaṁ te jayaseno rājakumāro pasīdeyya, pasanno ca te pasannākāraṁ kareyyā”ti.
“Kuto pana maṁ, bhante, jayasenassa rājakumārassa imā dve upamā paṭibhāyissanti anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā, seyyathāpi bhagavantan”ti?
“Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto nāgavanikaṁ āmanteti: ‘ehi tvaṁ, samma nāgavanika, rañño nāgaṁ abhiruhitvā nāgavanaṁ pavisitvā āraññakaṁ nāgaṁ atipassitvā rañño nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhāhī’ti. ‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, aggivessana, nāgavaniko rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa paṭissutvā rañño nāgaṁ abhiruhitvā nāgavanaṁ pavisitvā āraññakaṁ nāgaṁ atipassitvā rañño nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhati. Tamenaṁ rañño nāgo abbhokāsaṁ nīharati. Ettāvatā kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo abbhokāsaṁ gato hoti. Etthagedhā hi, aggivessana, āraññakā nāgā yadidaṁ—nāgavanaṁ. Tamenaṁ nāgavaniko rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa ārocesi: ‘abbhokāsagato kho, deva, āraññako nāgo’ti. Atha kho aggivessana, tamenaṁ rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto hatthidamakaṁ āmantesi: ‘ehi tvaṁ, samma hatthidamaka, āraññakaṁ nāgaṁ damayāhi āraññakānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāyā’ti.
‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, aggivessana, hatthidamako rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa paṭissutvā mahantaṁ thambhaṁ pathaviyaṁ nikhaṇitvā āraññakassa nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhati āraññakānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāya. Tamenaṁ hatthidamako yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā tathārūpāhi vācāhi samudācarati. Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā tathārūpāhi vācāhi samudācariyamāno sussūsati, sotaṁ odahati, aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti; tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari tiṇaghāsodakaṁ anuppavecchati.
Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa tiṇaghāsodakaṁ paṭiggaṇhāti, tatra hatthidamakassa evaṁ hoti: ‘jīvissati kho dāni āraññako nāgo’ti. Tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari kāraṇaṁ kāreti: ‘ādiya, bho, nikkhipa, bho’ti. Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa ādānanikkhepe vacanakaro hoti ovādappaṭikaro, tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari kāraṇaṁ kāreti: ‘abhikkama, bho, paṭikkama, bho’ti. Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa abhikkamapaṭikkamavacanakaro hoti ovādappaṭikaro, tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari kāraṇaṁ kāreti: ‘uṭṭhaha, bho, nisīda, bho’ti.
Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa uṭṭhānanisajjāya vacanakaro hoti ovādappaṭikaro, tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari āneñjaṁ nāma kāraṇaṁ kāreti, mahantassa phalakaṁ soṇḍāya upanibandhati, tomarahattho ca puriso uparigīvāya nisinno hoti, samantato ca tomarahatthā purisā parivāretvā ṭhitā honti, hatthidamako ca dīghatomarayaṭṭhiṁ gahetvā purato ṭhito hoti. So āneñjaṁ kāraṇaṁ kāriyamāno neva purime pāde copeti na pacchime pāde copeti, na purimakāyaṁ copeti na pacchimakāyaṁ copeti, na sīsaṁ copeti, na kaṇṇe copeti, na dante copeti, na naṅguṭṭhaṁ copeti, na soṇḍaṁ copeti. So hoti āraññako nāgo khamo sattippahārānaṁ asippahārānaṁ usuppahārānaṁ sarapattappahārānaṁ bheripaṇavavaṁsasaṅkhaḍiṇḍimaninnādasaddānaṁ sabbavaṅkadosanihitaninnītakasāvo rājāraho rājabhoggo rañño aṅganteva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.
Evameva kho, aggivessana, idha tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā. So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti. So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.
Taṁ dhammaṁ suṇāti gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā aññatarasmiṁ vā kule paccājāto. So taṁ dhammaṁ sutvā tathāgate saddhaṁ paṭilabhati. So tena saddhāpaṭilābhena samannāgato iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘sambādho gharāvāso rajāpatho, abbhokāso pabbajjā. Nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti.
So aparena samayena appaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ pahāya mahantaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ pahāya appaṁ vā ñātiparivaṭṭaṁ pahāya mahantaṁ vā ñātiparivaṭṭaṁ pahāya kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati. Ettāvatā kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvako abbhokāsagato hoti. Etthagedhā hi, aggivessana, devamanussā yadidaṁ—pañca kāmaguṇā.
Tamenaṁ tathāgato uttariṁ vineti: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, sīlavā hohi, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharāhi ācāragocarasampanno, aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhassu sikkhāpadesū’ti.
Yato kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvako sīlavā hoti, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu, tamenaṁ tathāgato uttariṁ vineti: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, indriyesu guttadvāro hohi, cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā mā nimittaggāhī …pe…
(yathā gaṇakamoggallānasuttante, evaṁ vitthāretabbāni.)
So ime pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
Vedanāsu …pe… citte … dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, hatthidamako mahantaṁ thambhaṁ pathaviyaṁ nikhaṇitvā āraññakassa nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhati āraññakānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāya; evameva kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvakassa ime cattāro satipaṭṭhānā cetaso upanibandhanā honti gehasitānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gehasitānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gehasitānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya.
Tamenaṁ tathāgato uttariṁ vineti: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi, mā ca kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkesi. Vedanāsu … citte … dhammesu dhammānupassī viharāhi, mā ca kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkesī’ti.
So vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti. So anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo …pe… iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.
So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti. So dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate …pe… yathākammūpage satte pajānāti.
So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte āsavānaṁ khayañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti; ‘ime āsavā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Tassa evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.
So hoti bhikkhu khamo sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ, uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti sabbarāgadosamohanihitaninnītakasāvo āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.
Mahallako cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo adanto avinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ mahallako rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo. Daharo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo adanto avinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ daharo rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; evameva kho, aggivessana, thero cepi bhikkhu akhīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ thero bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu. Navo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu akhīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ navo bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.
Mahallako cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo sudanto suvinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ mahallako rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo … daharo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo sudanto suvinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ daharo rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; evameva kho, aggivessana, thero cepi bhikkhu khīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ thero bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati; majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu. Navo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu khīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ navo bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatī”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano aciravato samaṇuddeso bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.